Today on the podcast, April and Danielle are joined by NYU Counseling and Wellness Racial Justice team members, Bernadette Mwelu Kerr and Sian Caisey. Listeners might remember Bernie from our Sex and Spirituality episode last season but she is a licensed clinical social worker who has been at NYU for 7 years starting as a crisis response counselor in Wellness Exchange and shifting to her current role as counselor at the Tisch School of the Arts. Sian Caisey has been an NYU counselor for 5 and a half years and prior to her role she worked for 14 years with young people with substance use and mental health needs involved in the juvenile and criminal justice system.
In this episode, Bernie and Sian described the origins of the racial justice team and the need to find safe spaces to process oppression that is faced within an organization and within the student population they work with.The conversation explores the definition of intergenerational trauma and how that shows up in clinical practice. Bernie and Sian highlight the challenges of navigating NYU as a person who identifies as BIPOC as well as the strengths and connections that they have seen in their work. Since the podcast is about sex and relationships, we chat about the joy and difficulties that can come up with interracial dating and dating with implicit bias no matter your identity. Additionally, we discuss the resources that are available through Counseling and Wellness Services and NYU generally.
This episode mentions relationship violence and may be activating for some. Be sure to listen to your body and take care of yourself!
If you or someone you know has experienced a sexual assault or relationship violence, we encourage you to reach out for support.
NYU Students: Contact the Wellness Exchange at 212-443-9999 or chat using their app and/or Sexual & Relationship Respect Services
For everyone: Contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233
For more show notes and resources, visit: https://www.nyu.edu/students/health-and-wellness/services/healthy-living/good-sex-at-nyu.html
